Self-opening pocketknife



H. F. SHIELDS.

SELF OPENING POCKETKNIFE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1921.

Patented Apr. 11,

HOWARD IF. SHIELDS, OF EUREKA, CALIFORNIA.

SELF-OPENING- POGKETKNIFE.

Application filed July 20, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HowARD F. SHIELDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eureka, in the county of Humboldt and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Opening Pocket-knives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to self opening pocket knives and more particularly to an improvement in the structure for the pocket knife whereby it will not be necessary to have the blade extending a slight distance from the blade holder in order to obtain a grip on the blade for opening it.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a pocket knife having a spring arrangement engageable with the blade wnereby the spring may be manually released for permitting the blade to be thrownpartially open whereby it may be conveniently gripped'to be pulled fully open.

Other objects of the invention will appear upon consideration of the following detail description and accompanying drawings, wherein 1 Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device constructed in'accordance with my invention showing the blade in open position.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section showing the blade closed.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal transverse section showing the blade closed with the mechanism in position for being released to release the blade.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, the pocket knife casing 1 consists f the longitudinal strips 2 and 3 between which a space 4 is provided to receive the blade 5, the latter being pivotally mounted upon the pivot member (3 in the usual manner.

Laterally spaced from the side member 3 is an outer panel 7 through which the pivot member 6 extends. Between the outer panel 7 and the space 4 which contains the knife blade, a housing 8 is formed to receive a coil spring which is disposed in the position shown in Fig. 2, one end of the spring 9 being provided with a cap 10 whereby the cap may be depressed to contact the spring.

By referring to Fig, 2 it will be noted that the wall 3 is cut at an angle or in a manner as indicated at 11 and this is to permit the arcuate swinging movement of the pressure pin 12 carried by the knife blade when it is swung on its pivot 6. lVhen the blade is closed the pin 12 will engage the spring cap Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

Serial No. 486,051.

l0 and force the spring downwardly whereupon a latch pin 13 is inserted through a side opening in the outer wall 7 and permit it to engage a groove in the top of the cap 10 as shown in Fig. 2 so that the cap will be held in locked position. The releasing pin 13 is provided with a knob 14 whereby it may be conveniently gripped, and it will be obvious from the construction described and illustrated that when the knob is pulled out- 'ardly to release the pin 13 from the groove in the spring cap, the spring will act to force the spring cap upwardly and throw the knife blade upwardly by virtue of the contact with the pin 12 carried by the knife blade. Of course, when the blade is thrown partially open it may be conveniently grasped by the fingers of the user in order that it may be swung fully open to be used.

lVliat is claimed is:-

1. ll. knife of the character described comprising a knife casing having a knife blade adapted to fold into the casing one side of the casing provided with a compartment, a coil spring mounted in the compartment and equipped with a spring cap, the said knife blade having a projecting pin adapted to engage the spring cap when the knife blade is closed, and means to releasably hold the spring cap in position against the pressure of the spring when the knife blade is held within the casing.

52. A self opening pocket knife comprising a knife casing. a blade adapted to fold into the casing and equipped with a laterally projecting pin, a compartment formed in the casing in the path of movement of the said pin when the knife blade is swung to closed position, a spring arranged within the compartment, a spring cap mounted on the upper end of the spring, the said cap being provided with a transverse groove in its upper surface, and a releasing pin extending laterally through the side of the casing and adapted to engage the said groove in the spring cap when the blade is swung to closed position whereby the blade may be held within the casing and forcibly ejected therefrom when the said releasing pin is disengaged from the spring cap.

In testimony whereof, I have aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HOlVARD F. SHIELDS.

Witnesses:

LEONA STUBBS, F. GEORGESON. 

